Preview of City Council Office of Financial Analysis Oversight Committee Meeting

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The Council committee that oversees the city’s new independent budget office meets this afternoon to select a vice chair and advance a plan to appoint Ben Winick as the Financial Analyst to oversee the office that will be tasked with evaluating the city’s finances.

This is the City Council Office of Financial Analysis Oversight Committee’s first meeting since Ald. Carrie Austin (34), Chairman of the Budget Committee, announced in May the committee’s recommendation to appoint former state budget officer Ben Winick to lead the City’s new Office of Financial Analysis (COFA). The City Council still needs to approve the appointment and committee members are expected to formally introduce legislation later this month to make it official.

Winick currently serves as the Vice President of Policy for Innovation Illinois, a non-partisan, research-based advocacy organization. He also has previous experience working for former Governor Pat Quinn’s Office of Management and Budget.

Other aldermen on the committee include, Finance Chairman Ed Burke (14), Ald. Pat Dowell (3),Ald. Rick Munoz (22), and Ald. Ameya Pawar (47). Ald. Munoz was appointed to the committee last month to replace the vacancy left by former 31st Ward Ald. Ray Suarez. Carole Brown, recently appointed city Chief Financial Officer, was on the committee until she received her new position. Charles Smith, an insurance broker, was appointed at last month’s Rules Committee meeting to replace Brown.

Joseph Pijanowski, with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 126A, is also a member of the committee.